Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. (Rev 12)

 

Who is that woman?

The answer is widely known: The Catholics esteem her as Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the Protestant esteem her as Israel.

 

We want to take a closer look to both positions.

 

A.) As the mother of Jesus the woman would be Mary, of course. Mary, clothed with the sun, stands on the sickle moon, and on her head a coronet with twelve stars.

 

B.) On the other side Jesus is named the "Son of David". Seen from this theological perspective, this woman could be Israel. Israel brings forth the Messiah, the Messiah is one of them, of course.

 

                                                                                 * * * * *

In the 17th century lived a Jewish businesswoman named "Glückel von Hameln".

                                                                                                 ( "Happy from Hameln". Hameln: a little town.)

 

Happy wrote a diary for her children. Elvira Grötzinger tells about this. ( Jewish Miniatures, publisher Hentrich &Hentrich, 2004, page 31,ff )

 

"As a religious Jewish woman she was not untouched by one of the most important events of her time: It was the excitement about Schabtai Zwi (1626-1676), which arouse to a histeria, by which the Jews in West- and East Europe, North Africa and the Middle East have been seized, because this man from Smyrna seemed to be the Messiah, bringing them their salvation, finally.

 

However, they have been disappointed again, like Happy herself, who, like all pious Jews, longed for the arrival of the Messiah. She wrote in her 3rd book about this, because her own family has been affected so far.

 

"In this time people began to speak about Sabathai Zewi. .... We did hope like a woman sitting in the birthing chair suffering pangs, that after all this we would be pleased by a child.

 

But after all these birth pangs we gained nothing but a wind."

 

Happy from Hameln tells then, that many did sell their homes and sent their belongings - packed up in barrels - to Hamburg harbor.

 But they did not start their voyage to Israel, because the "Messiah" confessed himself to the Islam.

 

Obviously, the assumption, that Israel will bring forth the Messiah under great toil, is of high significance.

                                                                                  * * * * *

Israel, the people of God, now nearly 2600 years scattered among the nations, has kept its identity. It rests on three pillars: 

                                        1.) Moses an the Prophets, 

                                        2.) Jerusalem and the Temple, 

                                        3.) the expectation of the Messiah. 

 

Now, as we have been assured, that Israel has not born the Messiah, we want to look at the picture, which shows us a woman with her attributes sun, moon, and stars. 

 

We want to look at this picture as an icon. There are two steps, to discover it.

 

                       1.) The iconographical step. The whole or parts of the picture are known.

 

                       2.) The iconological step. The meaning of the picture derives from the order of the

                              elements, from the conformation of the Picture. 

 

The elements of the picture are: Sun, moon, and stars. 

We remember a passage from the Bible, where those three elements are of importance. This is the dream of Joseph in 1.Moses 37,9-10: 

So the sun, the moon, and the stars are iconographically father, mother, and brothers. 

 

Under the iconological aspect we look now at the construction of the picture.

 

"The woman is clothed with the sun." What does that mean? 

To wear a certain clothing means, to demonstrate a certain membership, e.g. at the Army, at the sports club, at the royal court, etc. Whether you call your clothing a uniform, a tricot, or a livery - there is always a demonstration of a contract, of a certain Membership. 

 

Therefore, if this woman is clothed with the sun, then it means, that this woman has a contract with God. 

 

"The moon at her feet" - what could this mean? 

The hunter puts his foot on the slain game. He has defeated it. The climber stands finally at the top of the mountain. This was not without effort, he has overcome all difficulties. 

The winner in a sport contest stands finally on the podium. The speaker stands on a pulpit, etc. 

 

Therefore "the moon to her feet" means:  This woman is the owner of motherhood of Israel.

 

Mary has become mother of John, as Jesus ordered hanging on the cross - and, of course, mother of his brothers and sisters, too.

 

She gets the duty of a mother for the community and for Israel - as the garland with those twelve stars tells us.

 

Now we know, who this woman in Rev 12 is: She is Mary, the mother of the Messiah, and also now the mother of the church and of Israel. 

 

( Lea has been called mother of Israel. And also Ruth. Then also Mary is (spiritual) mother of Israel, although Israel did not accept the Messiah as their king.) 

 

Now we have reconstructed this picture as an icon with its elements, and got finally 

its concept and its substantially meaning.

 

 

This statue of the Virgin Mary is located in Rome. Mary stands not only on the moon, but also on the globe and with one foot on the Snake.

 

Mary has the authority of being a mother. But does she have authority over the earth and over the evil? 

 

This image says "yes", but not the image in Rev 12.